Chicago man pleads to South Barrington burglary

A Chicago man, who authorities say waited in a car while a co-defendant burglarized a South Barrington home last November, pleaded guilty to the charges Friday.

Rafael Mielczarek, 30, received a six-year prison sentence in exchange for his guilty plea to residential burglary, unlawful possession of a blank prescription pad and violation of probation. He must complete at least 50 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.

Mielczarek accompanied co-defendant Anita Adwent, who worked for a house cleaning service, to the victim's home where the owner instructed her what to clean and then retired to the basement, said prosecutors at Mielczarek's bond hearing last year. The homeowner later discovered his house had not been cleaned and several items were missing, including a bank debit card, notebook computer and an iPad, both of which prosecutors said police recovered at a Chicago pawnshop.

Afterward, prosecutors said, Adwent and Mielczarek went on a spending spree to various stores where they were captured on video surveillance.

At the time of his arrest, Mielczarek was on probation for fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance. Adwent's case is pending.

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